Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
The following is the text of a press release issued by the registrant at 8:15 A.M. Central Time on January 18, 2007.
SIMMONS FIRST ANNOUNCES FOURTH QUARTER EARNINGS
Pine Bluff, AR - Simmons First National Corporation (NASDAQ-GS: SFNC) today announced fourth quarter earnings for the period ended December 31, 2006. Net income for the fourth quarter was $6.8 million, or $0.47 diluted earnings per share, unchanged from the same period in 2005.
For the year ended December 31, 2006, net income was $27.5 million, an increase of $519,000 over 2005. Diluted earnings per share for the twelve-month period were $1.90, an increase of $0.06, or 3.3% over the same period in 2005.
The Company’s net interest margin decreased 5 basis points to 3.86% from the third quarter of 2006.
“Despite the 2006 interest rate environment and the competition for deposits, we were able to achieve modest annual earnings growth,” said J. Thomas May, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We, like the rest of the industry, were challenged with margin compression. However, we remain very pleased with the continuation of our strong asset quality, which has resulted in a reduction in the provision for loan losses. Likewise, we are pleased with our ability to control non-interest expense during this period of expansion.”
The Company’s loan portfolio totaled $1.8 billion at December 31, 2006, an increase of $65 million, or 3.8% over the same period last year. The growth was primarily attributable to increased demand in the real estate loan portfolio. Deposits were $2.2 billion at December 31, 2006, a $121 million, or 5.9% increase from December 31, 2005.
Asset quality remained strong with the allowance for loan losses as a percent of total loans at 1.42% as of December 31, 2006. Non-performing loans equaled 0.56% of total loans, while the allowance for loan losses equaled 252% of non-performing loans. The Company’s annualized net charge-offs to total loans for the fourth quarter of 2006 was 0.26%. Excluding credit cards, the annualized net charge-offs to total loans for the fourth quarter was 0.19%. The 2006 credit card charge-off ratio was 1.06% compared to 2.85% in 2005.
Total assets for the Company were $2.7 billion at December 31, 2006, an increase of $134 million from December 31, 2005. Stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2006 was $259 million, a $14.9 million increase from December 31, 2005.
Simmons First opened a new financial center in Beebe on January 2, 2007. This is the Company’s first entry into this market. The Company also plans to open financial centers in Paragould, North Little Rock - McCain, and Little Rock - Midtown during 2007, as well as a regional headquarters facility in Rogers.
Simmons First National Corporation is an Arkansas based financial holding company with eight community banks in Pine Bluff, Lake Village, Jonesboro, Rogers, Searcy, Russellville, El Dorado and Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Company’s eight banks conduct financial operations from 86 offices, of which 82 are financial centers, in 48 communities.
CONFERENCE CALL
Management will conduct a conference call to review this information at 3:00 p.m. Central Time on Thursday, January 18, 2007. Interested parties can listen to this call by calling 1-800-854-4175 (United States and Canada only) and asking for the Simmons First National Corporation conference call. A recorded playback of the call will be available the next morning by calling 1-800-642-1687. The passcode for this playback is 5304128 and the recording will be available through the end of business January 31, 2007. In addition, the call will be available live or in recorded version on the Company’s website at www.simmonsfirst.com under the “webcast” icon.
GENERAL
Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risk and uncertainties. Various factors, including, but not limited to, economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand and changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Additional information on factors that might affect Simmons First National Corporation’s financial results is included in its Form 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
####
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
DAVID W. GARNER
Senior Vice President and Investor Relations Officer
Simmons First National Corporation
(870) 541-1000
Simmons First National Corporation | | | | | | | | | | SFNC | |
Consolidated End of Period Balance Sheets | | | | | | | | | | | |
For the Quarters Ended | | Dec 31 | | Sep 30 | | Jun 30 | | Mar 31 | | Dec 31 | |
(Unaudited) | | 2006 | | 2006 | | 2006 | | 2006 | | 2005 | |
(in thousands) | | | | | | | | | | | |
ASSETS | | | | | | | | | | | |
Cash and non-interest bearing balances due from banks | | $ | 83,452 | | $ | 77,724 | | $ | 89,275 | | $ | 89,400 | | $ | 75,461 | |
Interest bearing balances due from banks | | | 51,829 | | | 19,599 | | | 26,265 | | | 34,200 | | | 14,397 | |
Federal funds sold | | | 21,870 | | | 49,340 | | | 22,570 | | | 8,620 | | | 11,715 | |
Cash and cash equivalents | | | 157,151 | | | 146,663 | | | 138,110 | | | 132,220 | | | 101,573 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investment securities - held-to-maturity | | | 179,944 | | | 172,944 | | | 164,612 | | | 148,733 | | | 150,299 | |
Investment securities - available-for-sale | | | 347,182 | | | 358,561 | | | 363,217 | | | 380,617 | | | 371,490 | |
Mortgage loans held for sale | | | 7,091 | | | 6,591 | | | 13,248 | | | 6,853 | | | 7,857 | |
Assets held in trading accounts | | | 4,487 | | | 4,574 | | | 4,606 | | | 4,646 | | | 4,631 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Loans | | | 1,783,495 | | | 1,788,517 | | | 1,738,628 | | | 1,691,020 | | | 1,718,107 | |
Allowance for loan losses | | | (25,385 | ) | | (25,879 | ) | | (26,174 | ) | | (26,463 | ) | | (26,923 | ) |
Net loans | | | 1,758,110 | | | 1,762,638 | | | 1,712,454 | | | 1,664,557 | | | 1,691,184 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Premises and equipment | | | 67,926 | | | 66,769 | | | 65,686 | | | 65,040 | | | 63,360 | |
Foreclosed assets held for sale, net | | | 1,940 | | | 1,413 | | | 1,740 | | | 1,666 | | | 1,540 | |
Interest receivable | | | 21,974 | | | 21,953 | | | 18,571 | | | 17,066 | | | 18,754 | |
Bank owned life insurance | | | 36,133 | | | 35,708 | | | 33,985 | | | 33,570 | | | 33,269 | |
Goodwill | | | 60,605 | | | 60,605 | | | 60,605 | | | 60,605 | | | 60,605 | |
Core deposit premiums | | | 4,199 | | | 4,406 | | | 4,613 | | | 4,822 | | | 5,029 | |
Other assets | | | 10,671 | | | 14,117 | | | 15,809 | | | 18,075 | | | 14,177 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TOTAL ASSETS | | $ | 2,657,413 | | $ | 2,656,942 | | $ | 2,597,256 | | $ | 2,538,470 | | $ | 2,523,768 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
LIABILITIES | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Non-interest bearing transaction accounts | | $ | 310,777 | | $ | 302,700 | | $ | 330,946 | | $ | 328,477 | | $ | 331,113 | |
Interest bearing transaction accounts and savings deposits | | | 738,763 | | | 745,649 | | | 761,346 | | | 757,368 | | | 749,925 | |
Time deposits less than $100,000 | | | 681,131 | | | 664,105 | | | 623,609 | | | 618,790 | | | 614,742 | |
Time deposits greater than $100,000 | | | 450,310 | | | 436,022 | | | 394,489 | | | 389,021 | | | 364,178 | |
Total deposits | | | 2,180,981 | | | 2,148,476 | | | 2,110,390 | | | 2,093,656 | | | 2,059,958 | |
Federal funds purchased and securities | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
sold under agreements to repurchase | | | 105,586 | | | 85,535 | | | 89,684 | | | 91,817 | | | 107,223 | |
Short-term debt | | | 6,114 | | | 61,850 | | | 45,054 | | | 2,245 | | | 8,031 | |
Long-term debt - parent company | | | 2,000 | | | 2,000 | | | 4,000 | | | 4,000 | | | 4,000 | |
Long-term FHLB debt - affiliate banks | | | 50,381 | | | 49,243 | | | 48,143 | | | 48,163 | | | 52,090 | |
Subordinated debt issued to capital trusts | | | 30,930 | | | 30,930 | | | 30,930 | | | 30,930 | | | 30,930 | |
Accrued interest and other liabilities | | | 22,405 | | | 24,316 | | | 21,876 | | | 22,448 | | | 17,451 | |
TOTAL LIABILITIES | | | 2,398,397 | | | 2,402,350 | | | 2,350,077 | | | 2,293,259 | | | 2,279,683 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Capital stock | | | 142 | | | 142 | | | 142 | | | 143 | | | 143 | |
Surplus | | | 48,678 | | | 49,068 | | | 49,607 | | | 51,380 | | | 53,723 | |
Undivided profits | | | 212,394 | | | 208,200 | | | 203,165 | | | 198,287 | | | 194,579 | |
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on AFS securities | | | (2,198 | ) | | (2,818 | ) | | (5,735 | ) | | (4,599 | ) | | (4,360 | ) |
TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | | | 259,016 | | | 254,592 | | | 247,179 | | | 245,211 | | | 244,085 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | | $ | 2,657,413 | | $ | 2,656,942 | | $ | 2,597,256 | | $ | 2,538,470 | | $ | 2,523,768 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereto duly authorized.